ONE

God planned each of us to be one in a zillion.

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5 New Living Translation

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. They are
plans for good and not for disaster, plans to give you a future
and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 New Living Translation

There has been no one ever on this earth like you; no one ever will be. God did not think the universe would be complete without you. You are here to be the hero of your own life, to live the life God sent you here to live specifically; to spend your life with God — now and forever. You are no accident. God sent you here on purpose, for a purpose.

TWO

God is love and only wants love for us and from us.

“Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love”
1 John 4:7-8 New Living Translation

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16 New Living Translation

“Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark 12:29-31 New Living Translation

“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 New Living Translation

This is comfort and joy about who this God is who spoke us into being. It answers the big question about what God wants and what you are here for. We are here to give and receive love. This gives us focus on what is most important about us and about life: love. Really getting this one thing would sure help us let go of the past (as Jesus wants us to do) and let go of a whole lot of other things we try to hang on to that do not bring us love, peace, hope, and joy.

THREE

Jesus meets us where we are, and leads us to where we need to grow.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 New Living Translation

“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23 New Living Translation

Jesus is God come to the earth in flesh and blood-up close and personal-God we can get to know. He will live in us and with us and even through us and guides us on our hero’s journey in living out our one in a zillion life. He is our life coach, our mentor and our closest friend. He wants from us only a willingness to begin the relationship with him on the promise that we can grow and develop-shedding what holds us down and embracing what will make us free and able to reach out to others with love.

FOUR

Living what Jesus teaches makes life work.

“For we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 New Living Translation

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 New Living Translation

Jesus came so that we could have life and have it to the fullest. He doesn’t just care about if we get to live with him in heaven, but he wants us to have a great life now. He offers us eternal life, which for him was not simply a quantity of life. It is a quality of life that begins now and continues forever. This quality of life which he also called abundant is not perfect life, but as Eugene Petersen has described it in his paraphrase The Message, “more and better life that they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10. He wants us to have a life that works where we no matter what we may suffer we still can receive love, joy, peace and hope. If we live as Jesus teaches our lives will work. Jesus doesn’t want us to just survive. He wants us to truly live!

FIVE

I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me.

“For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13 New Living Translation

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptations to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 New Living Translation

ALL THINGS. I can go through anything. Not just survive anything; I can live through it. I can do anything-with Jesus. There is nothing that will happen to me today that Jesus and I cannot handle together. Having that at the foundation of your being will help you in the wilderness times of your life. It will help you in the dark times of your life. It will help you with the temptation to be anything other than the hero of your own life. Jesus is on your side. If you let him, he will strengthen you, encourage you, and guide you even in the face of your hardest temptations. Living in him is one way in which we, as a tribe, are each stronger together.

Core Beliefs

God planned each of us to be one in a zillion.

God is love and wants only love from us and for us.

Jesus meets us where we are and leads us to where we need to grow.

Living what Jesus teaches makes life work.

I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me.